Pad



Jan. 1,1946.

' M. FELICK PAD Filed July 27, 1944 Patented Jan. 1, 1946 UNITED STATES PATEN r OFFICE 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to improvements in garment construction, and more particularly to a novelly constructed pad to be applied to a garment for squaring off the shoulders and such other parts of the garment which, when in use, hang over that area of the wearers back in the region of the scapula.

It is well known that garments, such as coats, usually are provided with shoulder pads so as to square off the shoulders and thereby improve the fit and hang of the garment when it is worn. Common practice, however, is to prefabricate pads in a Wide range of sizes and shapes and to leave it entirely to the workman constructing the garment to select a size and shape thought to suit the particular garment. Such prefabricated pads are of predetermined thicknesses and of sizes that underlie the shoulder portions of the garment only. Thus, even when a pad of proper thickness is arranged in a garment, the garment, when worn, may sag where it hangs across the scapula areas of the body, thus emphasizing the customary hollow in those areas and often causing the back of the garment to appear wrinkled and drawn. Heretofore, such unsightly appearance has been partially overcome only by refitting thegarment to the individual by whom it is to be worn, and even then the garment will hang taut and flat across such areas.

It is therefore an object of the invention to construct a garment in such manner that when worn the entire back areas will present a smooth, fully rounded appearance.

Frequently it is desirable, and often necessary, even when using the prefabricated pads of the present invention, to vary the thickness of certain areas of the pad so as to conform to the individual characteristics of a hollow in the back area, the appearance of which it is intended to eliminate. Accordingly, it is another object of this invention to provide a pad of the kind described hereinabove, with a pocket for receiving an insert of selected size so as to efiect easy and simple variation in thepad thickness.

Pads constructed along present lines usually consist of an outer covering having a filler of wool or cotton. Obviously such pads easily lose their original configuration, primarily because such a filler does not retain its initial resiliency after a period of use. As a result, it early becomes compressed or wadded, and thereby assumes a different shape from that required to retain the initial appearance of the garment. It is therefore another object of the invention to provide a pad of the character described with an insert filler of a kind which will retain its resiliency and consequently its intended shape throughout the serviceable life of the garment.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing which by wayof illustration shows a preferred embodiment and the principle thereof, and which-is considered to be the best mode contemplated for applying that principle. Other embodiments of the invention, embodying the same or equivalent principle, may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of a garment embodying features of the present invention, showing a portion of the back broken away. 7

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view ofthe garment partially broken away.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the pad showing portions thereof broken away.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the pad shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.-

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the location of the pad with respect to the wearers body. l

The pad In of the present invention-consists of a pair of identically shaped pieces of oovering material II which are arranged in superimposed relation and joined together along complemental edges as by rows of stitches l2. As best illustrated in Fig. 3, the rows of stitches extend over the entire curved edges of the pieces of material il, and the straight edges i3 are left free. .The pieces of material H preferably are fashioned from buckram or other suitable substantially stiff, shape retaining fabric. A layer of batting M, such as cotton, is arranged on the inside face of each piece of material H and said batting is shaped to conform to the contour of said sheets and is held in place by the rows of stitches l2.

Upon reference to Fig. 4, it will be noted that the opposed layers of batting l4 may b spread apart along the open edge l3 of the covering ll so as to provide in effect a pocket, generally indicated at I5, into which a suitable filler insert l6 may be positioned. The filler insert l6 preferably is made up of steel wool, but obviously it may be formed of any other suitable material, such as for example kapok or the like, and it may be of such shape as is required to give the finished pad the required thickness. One face of the pad is provided with a suitable covering sheet l1, preferably of flannel or other soft material, which sheet has its margins 18 along the curved edges of the pad extending outwardly beyond said edges a slight distance for a purpose to be better understood. as the description proceeds. The covering sheet H may besecured to theepad by the rows of stitches l2 or it may be attached thereto by independent stitching.

The pad described hereinabove has been shown as applied to a garment l9 consisting of a back.

2| having armholes 22 into which sleeves23v are stitched in the usual and customary manner. As

best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2,. one} pad; in is;

applied to the inside of the garment adjacent each armhole 22 in such position that the open or straightedgei3 of the pad lies adjacentto and follows theseam. of thesaid. armhole. The portion of the pad containing;the.-insert.filler I6. is

.superimposed against .th insidelface. of that-portion of theback H which overlies the back. of the wearer in the. region of thescapula.

As is well known, thisregion-of a persons back is. substantially hollow or' depressed. anditis-a purpose of the: present invention to so arrange the. pad, that the hollow is not apparent. when the garmentin which the pad. is. arranged is being worn. Accordingly the positioning oftherpadas described hereinabove, is such that.v the hollow is substantially. filled out. so thatithe garment will have a smart, wellfashioned appearance while being worn, and at the same time the shoulders of the garment will square off. This. squaring off of the shoulders-is accomplished by. superimposing the uppermost or: smaller portion of the pad l0 against theinsideface of thertop; oi the shoulder, as best illustrated in Fig. 6.

Thegarment l9 preferablyisprovided withnthe usual lining 24 which-whenLsecuredinplace overlies and completely conceals the -pads. Inasmuch as the lining material commonlyused. in garments is easily damaged or-wor-n by friction, the pads in are so arranged in theggarment, as to dispose-the-faces-thereof havingithesoft covering l1 towards the lining. 'Ihe-extendedmargin l8 of said soft covering adequately prevents the complemental edge of the buckram material. ll

from coming into contact with the lining and further provides means whereby the pad may be blind-stitched to the back of the garment should such stitching be required or desirable.

It should be evident from the foregoing that applicant has provided a garment wherein the shoulders and @portions of th back are suitably padded so as to prevent the garment from sagging, wrinkling, or appearing drawn where it lies over the region of the. scapulawhilebeing worn and that". such; pads may be readily varied in thickness so as to be easily fitted into hollows of various degrees without extensive or customary alteration of the garment.

It should be understood further that the specific shape and form of the pad illustrated may be varied to suit various conditions of garment manufacture -without departing from the spirit of.this.invention or the scope of the appended claim;

I claim:

The combination with a lined garment compri'singza back'portion, a shoulder portion and a .sleevestitched tosaid portions, of a pad superimposed orr the insideface oi the shoulder and back portions adjacent the armhole of said sleeve, said pad comprising a pair oflike pieces ofmaterial ofsuch. size-and shape-as to-overlie aselected area. of the back portion adjacent to the sleeve, saidpieces of material being straight on onecomplementahedge and having rows of stitches joining. their remaining edges; a similarly shaped layer of filler material arrangedon the insideface of each piece of material and secured in place by said rows of stitches, said pieces of material and layersoffiller material being unsecuredsalong their. complemental straight. edges so as to provide apocket adapted tohave. its mouth disposed at the armhole of the sleeve, afiller of selected size and shapecontained in. said pocket, and a covering, sheet of soft material on one face. of the-pad; secured thereto by said rows ofv stitches, saidcovering sheet being: of a shape similar to that of the pad and having its margins-extending infthe plane-of the pad beyondthestitchededges onlyfio-asztoprotect the garment lining from-injury by rubbing contact. with said. pieces of mate, rial or with said stitched edges. the-margins also affording means for. blindstitchingthe :pad to the garment. I

i V MORRIS FELICK. 

